Minnesota’s PFML Is Coming — Now’s the Time to Strategize

Minnesota’s Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) goes into effect on January 1, 2026, but employers already have clear duties and deadlines ahead. If you wait until the last minute, compliance (and internal stresses) will bite. Instead, view this as an opportunity to strengthen your leave practices and build trust with your team.

Here’s what businesses need to know, including key dates, plan choices, and the value of having a seasoned HR partner in your corner.

Revised Key Dates & Deadlines for Minnesota's PFML

These dates mean your window for planning, internal communication, and vendor decisions is shorter than it might feel. Don’t wait on these until the new year.

Your PFML Options: Public vs. Private Plan

Minnesota law allows employers to opt into the state-administered program or seek approval for an equivalent private plan. Each path has tradeoffs.

State-Administered Program

• You must withhold the employee portion starting January 1, 2026. mnchamber.com

• Premiums are remitted later by April 30 in the first year. mnchamber.com

• You benefit from state administration, minimal internal leave processing, and permanence of policy updates.

Private / Equivalent Plan

• You must apply for approval from the state (before the deadlines set by DEED). mnchamber.com

• You can offer equal or more generous benefits, potentially retain administrative control, or bundle with existing leave or disability plans.

• You take on more administrative burden and risk, so your vendor and approach need to be trustworthy and scalable.

The ideal choice depends on your business size, benefits strategy, leave usage, and capacity to manage vendors and compliance.

Why a Trusted HR Partner Makes a Difference

You might have capable internal HR or payroll teams, but these transitions introduce legal, operational, and people dynamics risks. A good HR partner brings experience, structure, and strategic clarity.

Here’s where that expertise helps:

• Comparative modeling: analyzing costs, benefits, and administrative burden of public vs. private plan for your business

• Policy alignment: ensuring your existing leave, short-term disability, FMLA (if applicable), and PTO policies integrate smoothly with PFML

• Vendor selection and oversight: evaluating insurance carriers or third-party administrators (TPAs) for private plan options

• Communication and education: drafting the employee notice, poster, FAQs, and training managers well before implementation

• Ongoing support: staying on top of PFML changes, auditing compliance, and providing guidance through employee leave events

When everything’s new and shifting, the last thing leaders need is guesswork or after-the-fact scrambling.

How People Solutions Hub Helps You Prepare

We understand Minnesota’s PFML demands and we’re already working with business leaders to get ahead of it.

Some of the ways we support employers:

• PFML Readiness Audits to surface gaps in leave policies, vendor strategies, and internal workflows

• Private Plan Evaluation & Application Support so you can confidently choose whether to participate in the public program or pursue a private route

• Leave Policy Design & Integration to ensure PFML works alongside your existing leave programs

• Manager & Payroll Training so your teams and leaders handle requests, notice periods, certifications, and transitions smoothly

• Ongoing Compliance Monitoring to adapt as DEED finalizes rules or issues guidance

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You don’t need to go through this alone. With the right partner, you can turn this policy shift into a chance to streamline leave practices, improve employee trust, and reduce risk.

About People Solutions Hub

People Solutions Hub was founded by Nicki Leritz, an HR leader committed to giving small and mid-sized businesses clear, practical, and compliant people operations. After years of watching employers struggle with shifting laws, confusing deadlines, and inconsistent HR support, Nicki built PSH to bridge the gap between what teams need and what real-world businesses can actually manage. Today, our team helps Minnesota employers navigate everything from PFML compliance, employee handbooks, and HR audits to pay transparency, wage notices,

and leave management.

We believe HR shouldn’t feel overwhelming, it should feel supportive and built for long-term stability.

At People Solutions Hub, we partner with business owners, managers, and growing teams to simplify compliance, strengthen workplace culture, and build people systems that actually work.

📩 Reach out at psolutionshub@gmail.com

🌐 Visit www.peoplesolutionshub.co